Artistic Pretty Cure
by skydreamm
Summary: The Land of Art, the origin of Inspiranima, the source of creativity that exists within everyone, has fallen to the Colorless, and its sworn protector, Cure Renoir, has been defeated. Three fairies escape to Earth and meet three young artists who become the new Pretty Cure. Only they can stop the Colorless from stealing everyone's Inspiranima and painting the world black and white!
1. Cure Monet arrives!

"Pretty Cure, Hopeful Painting!"

The blue splash of paint shot out from the tip of Cure Renoir's paintbrush towards the monstrous Achroma. The monster was purified, and the trapped Inspiranima was freed. It flew away to return to its owner, and the surrounding area, which had turned black and white, had a bit of its color restored.

"That's another one down," Cure Renoir said.

The Cure's fairy partner, a mouse-like fairy, flew up to her. "Cure Renoir, the Colorless are making Achromas faster than you can purify them," She said. "Are you sure you don't want to run?"

"Pastel," Renoir said, "I made a promise to you and your parents when I accepted the role of Pretty Cure. Of course I'm not running. I'm the sworn protector of you and the rest of the royal family, and of all the Land of Art."

Three more fairies flew up to Renoir.

A dog-like fairy, Ink, spoke first. "Cure Renoir, I think it would be best to get the princess to safety!" He said.

The next to speak was a cat-like fairy, Paint. "You've already done so much," She said. "There's not much more you can do on your own."

Finally, Chalk, a bird-like fairy, spoke. "You're really dedicated, you know that?" He said. "You don't have to be so dedicated. You need to think about yourself sometimes."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not going anywhere," Renoir said.

The four fairies frowned.

"How much paint do you have left?" Pastel asked.

Renoir reached into the lacy bag attached to her waistband, and pulled out her Cure Tube. "I'm running a little low."

"I-I can refill it!" Pastel said.

"You've already refilled it so many times today," Renoir said. "It's not healthy for you to make too many Cure Pigments in a day, is it?"

Pastel looked away.

Renoir smiled softly at her partner. "Don't worry about me," She said. "I'm not completely out of paint yet. I can still attack."

"Okay, I trust you," Pastel said.

A roar came from the distance. More Achromas were approaching. Cure Renoir put her Cure Tube back into its carrying bag. She turned toward the source of the roaring, and was shocked to see a huge crowd of Achromas marching.

Pastel look horrified. "There are so many..." She looked toward Renoir. "Are you sure... You'll be able to fight them all?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure," Renoir said, a determined look in her eye. "But, I have to at least try."

Renoir shifted her gaze to Pastel. "Let's go," She said. "No time like the present."

Cure Renoir and Pastel dashed forward to meet the oncoming Achromas. Ink, Paint and Chalk followed close behind them, all three of them looking concerned. As Cure Renoir approached, she noticed a man, riding atop the Achroma in the front of the crowd. His skin was pale white, and his hair and eyes were black as night. Even the clothes he wore were in shades of gray, not a speck of color on him. Cure Renoir froze.

"You're..." She began, "Monochrome, leader of the Colorless."

"And you're Cure Renoir, and Princess Pastel," Monochrome said. "Do you plan on wasting any more of my time by stating the obvious?"

"No," Cure Renoir replied. "For the sake of the Land of Art, for the sake of everyone whose Inspiranima you've stolen, I, Cure Renoir, will stand against you."

"I suppose you can try," Monochrome said. "Achromas, attack the Pretty Cure!"

Immediately, the Achromas began closing in on Cure Renoir. Several of them attempted to punch her at once, and she quickly leaped out of the way. She kicked one, and punched another, but there too many to keep up with. As she landed back down on the ground, another Achroma tried to stomp on her, and she had no time to react by jumping out of the way. She was forced to try and catch the Achroma's foot in her hands.

"Cure Renoir!" Ink, Paint and Chalk all called out at once.

Cure Renoir turned her head toward the three fairies, beads of sweat visible on her face. "You three need to go, right now."

"What about the princess?" Ink called.

"I'm not leaving Renoir behind," Pastel said.

"Just _go!_ " Cure Renoir called. "Get to Earth, and find Pretty Cure partners of your own, all of you! Pastel and I will follow behind as soon as we can!"

"We _will_ come back for you," Paint said.

The three of them finally began to fly away, as fast as they could. Looking back toward Cure Renoir, they saw her, still struggling to hold up the Achroma's foot. She dropped to the ground and rolled out from underneath the foot as quickly as she could, just narrowly avoided getting stomped on. She brandished her paintbrush and brought out her Cure Tube, shielding Pastel behind her, just before she was completely surrounded by Achromas and blocked from the fairies' view.

" _Cure Renoir!_ "

* * *

 _OP: Wonderful Creative Precure!_

 **EPISODE 1:**  
 _"A creative warrior, Cure Monet arrives!"_

* * *

 _What a beautiful scene!_

Camille couldn't believe it. The view from the classroom window was just _stunning_ that day. The sky was a gorgeous shade of blue. A few fluffy white clouds dotted the sky, and rays of sunlight streamed down through them, illuminating the landscape beneath. The Academy's gardens were in full bloom, and a rainbow of colorful flowers could be seen. Camille committed the scene to memory. She would definitely have to paint this later.

"Ms. Chevalier!"

"Oh!" Camille looked up. Hearing her last name called snapped her out of her thoughts, reminding her that she was still in class. "Yes, Mr. Dubois?"

"Since you find the school's gardens so interesting, would you like to tell the class what they are based on?" Mr. Dubois said.

Every pair of eyes in the classroom were focused on Camille. Luckily, she knew the answer already. "Claude Monet's own gardens, at his house in Giverny, France."

"Correct," Mr. Dubois said. "Camille, while I wish you would pay more attention in class, you do at least _know_ things. You're quite a talented painter, too."

Mr. Dubois walked over to the window. "Prismaton Academy of Art's gardens are the subject of many students' paintings, just as Monet's gardens were the subject of many of his paintings. Our gardens are even complete with several lily ponds, paintings of which Monet is arguably the most well known for."

The bell rang, and the class all began to get up and leave.

"Have a good rest of the day, everyone, and don't forget, your still life assignment is due by the end of the week," Mr. Dubois called. "And Camille?"

Camille, who was at the door, just about to leave, turned around. "Yes, Mr. Dubois? I already turned my still life in."

"I know," He said. "Just _please_ try to pay more attention next class."

Camille gave him a thumbs up. "Sure!" She then turned back around and left the classroom.

* * *

"Dull, Drab, Drear," Greyscale spoke, "Lord Monochrome requests your presence."

The three of them stood in a line. Similar to Monochrome, all of them were completely without color, with pale white skin and black hair and eyes. Dull was an adult woman, Drab was a boy in his late teens, and Drear was an older man. Greyscale herself was an elderly woman, her hair grayed and her skin wrinkled.

"Ah, surely he wants to praise me for my skill!" Dull said. "After all, _I_ was the one who captured the most Inspiranima in the Land of Art."

"Oh, don't say that, Dull," Drear said. "It wasn't a competition, and we all got plenty."

"Shut up, you big oaf!" Dull shouted. "You're just jealous because I got more than you! That's right, you're completely green with envy!"

"Green with envy, or should you say... Gray with envy?" Drear opened his mouth and let loose a horribly loud, obnoxious laugh, like a hyena.

Dull scowled. "Ugh, that was your worst joke yet! It was barely even a joke at all!"

Drab finally spoke up, ignoring his fellow minions. "It's not often Lord Monochrome wants to see us personally," He said. "What does he wish of us?"

"He didn't go into specifics with me," Greyscale answered. "He would just like to speak with you all at once."

"Certainly!" Dull exclaimed, snapped out of her anger at the mention of Monochrome. "Let's not keep him waiting any longer."

"Of course," Greyscale said. "Come with me."

Greyscale led the three of them through the castle, to Monochrome's chamber. It was a large room with a high ceiling and a large window, overlooking the black and white land. Monochrome stood by the window with his back turned to the door, gazing out over the land. Above him, near the ceiling, countless stolen Inspiranima floated around, a dark cloud surrounding them, preventing them from returning to their owners.

"Lord Monochrome," Greyscale said, "I've brought them, as you requested."

Monochrome turned around. "Thank you." He took a seat behind his desk, and gestured to the three seats in front of it. "Sit, all of you."

Monochrome waited for the three of them to do so, and then began. "Our sweep across the Land of Art was successful. We've gathered so many Inspiranima, and the entire land is in black and white. Cure Renoir impeded our efforts slightly, but I faced her, and killed her."

The slightest hint of emotion flickered across Drab's usually expressionless face. "You killed Cure Renoir?"

"Yes, Cure Renoir is no more," Monochrome said. "I also have captured Princess Pastel."

"You just captured her?" Drear said. "Why haven't you taken her Inspiranima?"

Monochrome looked up to the ceiling, to the cloud of Inspiranima. He waved a hand, and something floated down, toward his hands. It was a translucent blue bubble. Inside, Pastel could be seen, unconscious.

"This bubble, it's a paint bubble," Monochrome said. "Cure Renoir's paint. In her final moments, she used the last of her paint to create this bubble, in order to protect the princess. It would seem she put all her strength and magic into it, and I can't break through it. Until I find a way to break through it, I can't take the princess's Inspiranima."

Monochrome pushed the bubble back toward the ceiling. "Aside from that, I have two pieces of bad news to report. The first is that even with all the Inspiranima gathered from the Land of Art, it isn't enough in order to achieve my goal. I still need more."

"We have to get _more?_ I thought we were all done," Dull said, crossing her arms. "What's the other bad news, my lord?"

"It would seem that during our battle, Cure Renoir allowed the escape of three fairies. I believe they went to the planet Earth," Monochrome said. "We have a new goal laid out before us: Go to Earth, gather more Inspiranima, and find those fairies before they can find their own Pretty Cure partners."

Monochrome directed his gaze to Dull. "Dull, can I trust you with the first mission to Earth?"

Dull put on a sickeningly sweet smile. "Of _course_ , Lord Monochrome!"

"Good," Monochrome said. "Dull, Drab, Drear, the three of you are dismissed."

The three minions rose from their seats, bowed to Monochrome, and left.

* * *

Camille walked leisurely through the halls. Classes were over for the day, so she could take her time. She didn't have anywhere she had to be. Her brown hair, slightly wavy, was in two low pigtails, tied with green ponytail holders. Her green hoodie, sleeves rolled up past her elbows, and her gray leggings that reached a bit past her knees were both covered in various paint stains. Camille didn't mind the stains. In her mind, they made her clothes her own personal work of art.

"Coming through!"

"Woah!" Camille quickly ducked out of the way of a cart being pushed through the hall.

Pushing the cart was Camille's friend, Cerise Durant. "Oopsie, sorry, Camille!" She said. "The kiln in the pottery room is in use, and I've gotta get all these fired!"

Camille waved a hand. "It's fine, I'm fine," She said. She took a look at what the cart was carrying- Several clay pots of all shapes and sizes. "Cerise, are all of these yours?"

"They sure are!" Cerise answered.

"But there are so many," Camille said.

"I know, it's a lot," Cerise said. "But me and Henri made a bet that I couldn't make this many pots before the end of the week, and I am determined to prove him wrong!"

Camille laughed. "You're so passionate about everything you do, Cerise. It's a good feature to have."

Cerise grinned. "Aww, thanks!"

"Hey, so, listen," Camille said, "There's a temporary exhibit starting today down at the art gallery, and I wanted to go check it out. Do you want to come with me?"

"I'd love to, but," Cerise gestured to her cart, "I gotta work on these!"

"That's alright," Camille said. "I can always ask Elodie or my sister to come with me."

"Well, see you later," Cerise pointed ahead of her. "To the kiln!" She ran off, pushing her cart with her.

"Try not to run over anyone with that thing!" Camille called after her.

"No promises!" Cerise called back.

Camille smiled, and then turned and kept on walking. She left the school building and stepped outside into the warm afternoon sun. The Academy's gardens were even more beautiful up close. There were more than a few students about, painting, drawing or taking photographs of the scene. Up ahead, Camille could see one such photographer, meticulously lining up her camera's tripod, trying to get the perfect shot. It was another friend of Camille's, Elodie Lemaire.

"Elodie!" Camille said, running up to her friend.

Elodie rose a finger to her lips, gesturing for Camille to keep it down. She slowly motioned toward where she had her camera pointed toward. It was a flowering bush, and within its branches, a bird's nest could be seen, with a small bird sitting in it.

"Stay quiet, and don't make any sudden movements," Elodie said in a soft voice. "I don't want to scare that bird away. I have to make sure the photograph is perfect."

Camille froze, and nodded slowly. Elodie stepped carefully back behind her camera, making sure it was lined up as perfect as could be, before finally hitting the button. The flash was turned off, so it wouldn't startle the bird.

Elodie looked up at Camille, and smiled. "I got it."

"Great," Camille said, finally relaxing.

"Did you need something, Camille?" Elodie asked.

"Oh, yeah," Camille said. "There's a temporary exhibit opening at the art gallery today, and I was just wondering if you'd want to come check it out with me."

"Any other time, I would say yes, but right now, I can't," Elodie replied. "I still need to take several more nature photographs, for an assignment."

"But that's not due until next week, I thought?" Camille said.

"It is," Elodie said. "Do you want me to procrastinate on it?"

"No, I guess not," Camille said. "It's fine, really. I understand. Cerise said no, too, but I can still always ask my sister."

"You're lucky to have family here," Elodie said with a sigh. "I wish I did. It's kind of nice to be here on my own, but at the same time, I really miss my family. You know?"

"Yeah," Camille said. "Even just living in the dorms on my own, even if my family isn't far, it's really weird. I'm can't wait until I'm a second year and it's not required to stay in the dorms anymore."

"I should get back to my photography," Elodie said.

"Right," Camille said. "Sorry for distracting you for so long."

"It's alright," Elodie said, smiling. "See you later, Camille."

"Later!" Camille said, running off.

* * *

 _Eyecatch 1: Camille, Cerise and Elodie are walking through an art gallery. Camille points to a particular painting, and they all go to take a look. The painting is of the three of them as Cure Monet, Cure Picasso and Cure Warhol, posing together with their fairy partners. The three of them smile at the painting, and the Artistic Pretty Cure logo appears in the corner._

 _Eyecatch 2: Camille is shown painting a picture of Ink while the fairy poses. The scene switches to Cerise sculpting a sculpture of Paint out of clay while the fairy poses. The scene again switches to Elodie carefully framing and then taking a picture of Chalk. Finally, the Artistic Pretty Cure logo appears._

* * *

Camille finally found her older sister at the school gates.

"Jessamine! Hey!" Camille called.

Jessamine turned around and smiled as she saw her little sister approach. "Camille! I was just heading home."

"Okay, so," Camille began, "I was wondering if you'd want to come to the art gallery today with me. There's a temporary exhibit that's opening, and I was gonna go check it out."

"I definitely want to see it, but not today," Jessamine said. "Sorry, but I've got assignments to work on."

"Oh, okay," Camille said. "Guess that means I'm going alone, then. Cerise and Elodie were busy, too."

"Do you want a ride, at least?" Jessamine asked.

"No, it's not that far a walk," Camille answered. "And it's a nice day out, besides."

"Alright," Jessamine said. "Dad gets off work early today. Want to come to the house for dinner with him and me?"

"I might come by, we'll see," Camille said. "I might just want to spend all day at the art gallery!"

Jessamine chuckled. "I understand completely. I'll tell him to make extra food just in case you do decide to come by. Even if you don't, then we'll have leftovers. And remember, you can always text Dad or me if you need anything."

" _Oh!_ That reminds me," Camille said. "I haven't visited Mom in _forever._ "

"You had better do it soon, then," Jessamine said.

"Let me think, I'm going to the art gallery today, but I could probably swing by and see her tomorrow," Camille said. "And I've got money, so before I head over there I can stop by the flower shop and get a bouquet of white lilies to bring."

"You bring a bouquet of white lilies every time you go see her," Jessamine said. "You don't _have_ to do it every time, you know."

"Of course I have to," Camille said. "They're her favorite!"

Jessamine smiled. "It _is_ really thoughtful of you to always bring a bouquet along."

"Well, I'm gonna head off to the art gallery now," Camille said.

"Alright, have fun," Jessamine said.

"See you later, Jess!" Camille called as she ran off.

* * *

Prismaton was a decently large town. It was in a beautiful location, nestled close by both mountains, forest and lakes. Many people came here for camping, but more importantly, the area drew in many artists, seeking to use the town's gorgeous surroundings as inspiration for their artwork. Over time, Prismaton gained a reputation as a town for artists. It boasted its own art gallery, and the Prismaton Academy of Art, a boarding school for young artists, brought in many art students eager to learn.

Entrance to the Prismaton Gallery was free, though donations were encouraged. Camille made a habit of donating at least a dollar every time she came. This time, she slipped a 5 dollar bill into the donation box as she entered.

The gallery was crowded today. Everyone was there to see the temporary exhibit, most likely. Camille could have followed the flow of the crowd, no doubt heading straight for the temporary exhibit, but instead, she would simply work her way through the galleries at her own pace. She wanted to see everything. No matter how many times Camille had gone through the museum, no matter how many times she looked at every last painting, every last sculpture, every piece of artwork the galleries housed, studying their every detail, she never got tired of it.

As most people visiting the gallery today were there for the temporary exhibit, the regular exhibit galleries were rather sparse. There was the occasional other visitor, but mostly, they were empty besides Camille and the employees that walked the galleries, keeping an eye on visitors, telling those who got too close to paintings to step back.

In one of the galleries, completely empty besides Camille, without even an employee around, Camille was distracted from admiring an impressionist piece by tiny voices.

"Ink, we need to hide somewhere. I can sense one of the Colorless nearby."

"And I could use a nap."

"Chalk, please try to take this seriously. We need to make sure the Colorless don't find us, and we need to find our own Pretty Cure partners."

"I'm serious about the fact that I need a nap."

"Paint, Chalk, both of you, be quiet! I'm sure she can hear us."

Camille turned around. "What? Who's talking?" On the floor, near the opposite wall, she saw three tiny stuffed animals. The first was a blue dog, the second was a red cat, and the third was a purple bird. The dog and the bird were wearing capes, and the cat wore a skirt. "Stuffed animals? Did a little kid leave them here or something?" Camille walked over to them, and bent down to pick them up. "I'll take them to the lost and found. They sure are cute!"

The dog glared. "I am not cute!"

Camille jumped back and screamed. "The stuffed animal just talked!"

"Please calm down, miss, I'm sorry my friend scared you," The cat said. "We're not stuffed animals. We're fairies."

"Fairies? But... Fairies aren't real!" Camille said.

"I don't know," The bird said. "I'm pretty sure I'm real, and I know I'm a fairy."

"What's going on?" Camille said, confused.

"We should probably introduce ourselves," The cat said.

"You may call me Ink," The dog said.

"My name is Paint," The cat said.

"And I'm Chalk," The bird said.

"I'm... Camille Chevalier," Camille said. "This is... Crazy. Why am I introducing myself to talking animals?" Camille jumped when she heard another voice behind her, a museum employee.

"Is everything alright? I heard a scream," The employee said. "Are those pets? Pets are not permitted in the Prismaton Gallery. If they are pets, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"They're just, um," Camille quickly scooped the three fairies up in her arms, stood up, and turned around. "They're just stuffed animals!"

The fairies behaved exactly as stuffed animals should, standing completely still and staring unblinkingly into space.

"Oh, I see," The employee said. "Well, aren't they cute? Sorry to have bothered you. Have a nice day, and enjoy the gallery."

"Thank you, I will," Camille said.

The employee then turned around and walked out of the room. Camille breathed a sigh of relief as she released the fairies from her arms, and was a bit startled when she realized they were flying in the air in front of her. It made sense for Chalk to be able to, being a bird, but how in the world were Ink and Paint doing it?

Ink crossed his arms. "I am _not_ cute," He said. "I am a knight of the Land of Art!"

"The Land of Art?" Camille said.

"It's our homeland," Paint said.

"Your homeland?" Camille said. "Look, could one of you please explain what's going on?"

"We can, but first, we need somewhere to hide," Ink said.

"And somewhere where I can take a nap," Chalk added.

"Why do you need to hide?" Camille asked.

"It's a very long story, one we can explain at a later time," Paint said. "But there are people after us, and we need to hide from them. Can you take us somewhere to hide, Camille?"

"I really wanted to check out the temporary exhibit today, but..." Camille sighed. "Well, it'll be here for the next couple of months. I can always check it out later. Come on, you three. You can hide back in my dorm room."

"Perfect," Ink said.

Camille gathered the three fairies up in her arms again. "I hope you three can pretend to be stuffed animals all the way there," She said, as she began to make her way toward the gallery's exit.

* * *

The Academy's grounds had mostly emptied out. Most students had gone back to their dorms or gone home for the day. Cerise was one of the few people still out. After finished up with her pottery for the day, she was heading back to her dorm, humming a song to herself as she walked. What she didn't know was that she wasn't alone. Dull followed behind Cerise. Cerise, suddenly realizing she was being followed, turned around, and met Dull's eyes.

"Wow, you're pale!" Cerise said. "Are you sick? Maybe you should get some bed rest!"

"Oh, I feel _fine,_ " Dull said. "Listen, girl, I just wanted to ask you a question."

"Ask away," Cerise said.

"Have you seen any sort of unusual-looking animals around here lately?" Dull asked. "I'm looking for a certain dog, cat and bird that may be somewhere around here."

"Oh no, did you lose your pets?" Cerise asked. "I haven't seen any of those, but I could help you look for them, if you need the help!"

"No, no, it's alright," Dull said, getting closer to Cerise. "Although you _can_ help me with something else I'm looking for."

"And... What's that?" Cerise asked, feeling a bit nervous. She stepped back a bit.

Dull responded by getting uncomfortably close to Cerise. "Yes, I can see it. Your Inspiranima is _very_ bright. I'll definitely catch Lord Monochrome's eye if I bring your Inspiranima back for him!"

"Get away from me!"

Cerise tried to run, but Dull latched onto her arm. Holding tightly, Dull pulled her close.

"Let go of me!" Cerise begged.

"Now, now, try not to squirm," Dull said. "This won't hurt that much. You'll feel just a pinch, and then you'll never have to feel pain again."

A dark cloud formed around Dull's free hand, and she plunged it into Cerise's chest. Cerise screamed, and Dull ripped her hand back out, holding a glowing, rainbow-colored, star-shaped object. Cerise's Inspiranima. Dull let go of Cerise's hand and stepped back. A black picture frame formed around Cerise as her body was flattened. Dull stepped back and admired her handiwork. Cerise had been trapped within a painting. It was entirely in black and white, a horrified expression was frozen on her face and there was a star-shaped hole in her chest where Dull had ripped out her Inspiranima.

Dull stared at the Inspiranima in her hand, and grinned. "Lord Monochrome will be so pleased with me!"

* * *

Camille walked through the Academy's front gates onto the school grounds. "We're almost there," She said to the fairies in her arms. Looking ahead, she saw a large, rectangular object. "What's that?"

Chalk, who had been dozing off most of the way back to Camille's dorm, was suddenly wide awake. "No way."

"It can't be," Ink said.

"That's..." Paint said.

The three fairies flew out of Camille's arms and toward the object.

"Hey! What's going on?" Camille called. She ran after them. They were all staring at the object in horror. Camille took a closer look, realizing it was a painting, of Cerise. "No way," Camille choked. "This painting, it's, it's..."

Paint looked over to Camille. "Do you know her? I'm sorry."

"It's..." Suddenly, Camille smiled a huge smile. " _Exquisite!_ "

Ink looked over to Camille, confused. "What do you mean, it's exquisite?"

"It's so realistic! Beautifully painted, even in black and white. It looks just like Cerise," Camille said. "The horrified look on her face and the way she is reaching toward the viewer, it's like she's trapped in the painting and desperate to get out! And the star-shaped hole in her chest, it's like her soul has been ripped out! The neutral color scheme just adds to the tortured look of this painting."

Chalk frowned. "Uh, this isn't-"

"But who would just leave this out here?" Camille said, looking around. "I don't see anyone else around."

"This isn't a painting!" Ink said. "This really is your friend!"

Camille looked at Ink. "What? How is that possible?"

Ink pointed to the star-shaped hole in Cerise's chest. "She's had her Inspiranima stolen."

"What's an Inspiranima?" Camille asked.

"The source of creativity and inspiration, existing within everyone's hearts," Paint explained. "Without it, a person becomes a flat, soulless husk. Unless her Inspiranima can be recovered, she's going to be trapped in this painting forever."

"That's horrible," Camille said, frowning.

"Oh my, what's this?" A woman's voice said.

"Oh, no," Chalk said.

" _Dull,_ " The three fairies all said at once.

Camille turned around, while Ink, Paint and Chalk all hid behind her. There, standing a good distance away from her, was Dull.

"Who... Are you?" Camille asked.

"I am Dull, of the Colorless," Dull answered.

"She's most likely the one who took your friend's Inspiranima," Ink said.

"You..." Camille said. "Give Cerise back her Inspiranima!"

"Oh, you mean this?" Dull pulled out the object, clutching it tightly in her hands. "I know you have the fairies. Give them to me, girl."

"Give Cerise her Inspiranima back," Camille said. "Then, maybe I'll give you the fairies."

"I'm sorry, the Inspiranima isn't negotiable," Dull said. "I can promise you this, however: Give me the fairies, and you won't be hurt."

Camille grabbed the fairies, and held them close. "...No."

Dull's expression slowly turned into a glare. "What did you just say?"

"I said no," Camille said.

"So you want to do this the hard way, then?" Dull said. "Fine." A dark cloud began to form around the hand Dull held Cerise's Inspiranima in. The Inspiranima darkened as the cloud sapped all traces of color from it. Dull held the corrupted Inspiranima up, and tossed it toward a nearby tree.

"Paint the world in black and white, _Achroma!_ " Dull shouted.

As the corrupted Inspiranima made contact with the tree, it increased in size and turned black and white. The tree was transformed into a monster, an Achroma. Immediately, all the color in the surrounding area disappeared. The trees, the grass, the sky, the rainbow of flowers of the Academy's gardens became colorless.

Camille stepped back, horrified. "What's going on? This is... Awful!"

Dull pointed toward Camille. "Achroma, attack the girl!"

"Run," Ink said.

The Achroma began stomping toward Camille. Camille took Ink's advice and began to run- But not before grabbing the painting Cerise was trapped in, and running away carrying both her and the fairies. Camille was fast, but the Achroma was faster, and was quickly closing in on Camille. Then, struggling to run while carrying both three fairies and a human-sized painting, Camille tripped, the fairies flying out of her grasp and Cerise's painting prison clattering to the ground several feet away from her.

"It didn't have to be this way," Dull said. "If you had just been a good girl and handed over the fairies like I asked, I wouldn't have to kill you."

Camille slowly climbed to her feet, and went over to pick up Cerise's painting. Behind her, the Achroma had closed in, and was lifting its foot, preparing to crush her.

Ink flew up to Camille. "Camille, just run," He said. "You need to think about yourself."

"No," Camille said. "Cerise is one of my closest friends. I'm not going to leave her behind. I'm going to get her Inspiranima back, no matter what it takes. _I have to save Cerise!_ "

The Achroma brought its foot down on top of Camille to crush her, but suddenly, a bright, rainbow light shone. The Achroma's foot bounced back, and it was blasted backward several feet by an unknown force.

"No, is this...?" Dull said.

Within the light, Camille and Ink faced each other. A light shot out of both their hearts, connecting them. From the light appeared an object. It appeared to be an ordinary tube of paint, with a strip indicating the color of the paint- Green. However, there were no words on the tube, simply four-leaf clover symbol, colored green. The tube's cap was also shaped like a four-leaf clover.

"What... Is this?" Camille asked, confused.

"That's... A Cure Tube!" Ink said. "Camille, you're my Pretty Cure partner!"

"A... Pretty Cure?"

"I will make a Cure Pigment," Ink explained. "Unscrew the Cure Tube's cap, say, 'Pretty Cure, Artistic Shift', and then drop the pigment in."

"I'm not really sure what's going on, but," Camille said. "Let's try it!"

" **Cure Pigment, go!** " Ink called out. In a burst of light, a green capsule appeared from Ink's chest.

Camille took hold of the Pigment as she unscrewed the cap of her Cure Tube. " _ **Pretty Cure, Artistic Shift!**_ " Camille dropped the pigment into the tube, and spun around as the paint inside mixed itself. She turned the tube toward herself and began squeezing it, squirting out bits of glowing green paint onto herself. As she did so, the paint began to spread itself out, turning into a new outfit. From the paint, a green dress appeared on her body, with a bell-shaped skirt with lace and ruffles along the edge, and short puffed sleeves with vertical white stripes and more ruffles along the arm holes. Camille squirted some more paint into the air, and from it, an apron appeared. The bottom of the apron was rounded, and it was entirely white, except for along the straps, the waistband, and strips along the bottom and top. The bottom and the top both also had ruffles along the edges. The apron put itself on Camille, and the waistband tied itself with a bow in the back.

Camille bent over and squirted out more paint along her legs, which formed white tights and black high heel shoes. She raised the tube up to her head and spread the paint on her hair, closing her eyes as she did so. Her hair grew longer, still in her pigtails, and turned green, held in lacy ponytail holders. Camille opened her eyes back up, which her now green. She squirted a bit more paint into the air above her head, and it turned into a green beret, which landed on her head. Done with the Cure Tube for now, it slipped into a lacy bag tied with a green ribbon, and attached itself to the waistband of her apron.

"It can't be," Dull said. "She's a Pretty Cure?"

The new Cure smiled. " **The color of harmony, painting the future!** " She posed, her legs slightly bent, with her right hand on her chin and the other out in front of her, palm faced up, like she was offering someone something. " _ **Cure Monet!**_ "

* * *

 _ED: World of Color_

* * *

 **ON THE NEXT EPISODE:**

Camille: So, I'm a legendary artist, huh? I hope I don't have to fight alone.

Paint: You won't have to for long. Chalk and I need to find Pretty Cure partners of our own.

Chalk: Though really, I'd rather just sleep...

Ink: Chalk, you're supposed to be a knight of the Land of Art. It's an honorable profession. You need to act like it!

Camille: I guess until Chalk stops being lazy, Paint, I'll help you find your partner! Next time on Artistic Pretty Cure: **The hunt is on! Find the next Pretty Cure!** Let's all get creative!


	2. Find the next Pretty Cure!

_OP: Wonderful Creative Precure!_

* * *

"The color of harmony, painting the future! Cure Monet!"

Camille, now Cure Monet, stared down at herself in amazement. "Wow..."

Paint and Chalk looked at Monet, then to each other, smiling. "Cure Monet!" They said in unison.

Ink said nothing. He just smiled as he looked at his new partner.

Dull looked angry. "W-Well, even if you are a Pretty Cure, I'm still going to beat you!" She boasted. "Achroma, attack her!"

The Achroma raised up its fists and tried to bring them down on top of Monet, who sped out of the way, just in time.

"Wow, I'm fast!" Monet said.

Another punch from the Achroma came, and Monet again was too fast for it, running out of the way, and again, and again.

"Stay still!" Dull called angrily.

Monet was just laughing. "Catch me if you can!"

Ink watched all this happen, looking slightly annoyed. "Monet, don't just run," He said. "You have to fight back!"

Monet stopped to talk to him. "Fight back?" She asked. "How? What am I supposed to-"

"Get out of the way!" Ink interrupted.

"Huh?" Monet looked over her shoulder to see a kick from the Achroma coming right for her. She jumped to avoid it, and found she had launched herself impossibly high into the air. She looked down, mouth agape. "What in the world?" Monet could see the Achroma beneath her, and she thought of what Ink had told her. She had to fight back. An idea came to her. She pointed her feet, and brought them down directly on top of the Achroma as she fell back down to Earth. She leaped up and landed again near the fairies, and turned to Ink, grinning. "Like that?"

Ink smiled back to her, and nodded. "Like that."

Monet nodded, and turned back toward the Achroma. "Okay, I think I get it now," She said, and pointed at the monster. "You're going down!"

The Achroma raised a fist and tried to forcefully punch Monet, but she stood her ground as she raised her hands and caught the fist, digging her feet into the ground to avoid getting pushed back. Monet pushed back herself, putting the Achroma off balance. It tried to throw another punch at her, and this time, she jumped out of the way. As Monet landed, she looked up and noticed the Achroma running toward her, trampling the gardens in the process.

"These gardens have provided inspiration for countless artists!" Monet shouted. "I won't forgive you for hurting them!" She jumped up and delivered a hard punch straight to the monster's face, knocking it off its feet and onto its back.

"Monet, finish it off!" Ink called to her.

Monet landed back on the ground next to him. "How?"

"Use your paint," Ink said.

Monet reached inside the lacy bag on her waistband, pulling out her Cure Tube. "You mean this?" She said. "I'll try it!"

Monet unscrewed the lid of her Cure Tube. **"Pretty Cure..."** Squeezing the tube and releasing glowing green paint, she drew a four-leaf clover shape in the air, and put her free hand in the center of it. **"Harmonious Pigment!"** She pushed forward with her free hand, and the paint shot out, speeding toward the Achroma, growing bigger in size as it got closer and closer. The paint hit the Achroma, surrounding the monster and purifying it. The Achroma turned back into a normal tree and the Inspiranima used to create it was freed. The surrounding area that had turned completely colorless had its colors restored.

Dull looked at Monet, glaring. "I won't forget this!" She shouted angrily. She formed a dark cloud around herself and disappeared.

"Thank goodness that's over," Monet said. "But it's too bad about the gardens." She looked over the flowers, trampled and ruined in the Achroma's rampage, and frowned.

"You can use your paint to fix any damages," Ink said.

"Really?" Monet said, retrieving her Cure Tube again. "Restore!" She squeezed the tube, releasing the paint, spreading it over the trampled gardens and all the other damage inflicted upon the surrounding area in the battle. As the paint faded, the damage was repaired. "Wow, this paint is useful! Does it run out?"

"It does, but you should have a lot, and you shouldn't have to worry about running out unless you're fighting many Achromas in a row," Ink said. "Even then, I can refill it for you by making another Cure Pigment."

"Good to know," Monet said.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but don't you think you should worry about your friend?" Paint said, cutting in.

Monet turned to the cat fairy. "Oh my goodness, Cerise!" She said. "I completely forgot."

As Monet ran toward the painting Cerise was trapped in, her transformation disappeared, and she turned back into ordinary Camille. Camille knelt down and picked up the painting. "How do I get her out?"

Cerise's Inspiranima, now free from the Achroma, floated toward the painting. It entered the star-shaped hole in Cerise's chest, and the painting faded away, freeing her. She was weak, but Camille grabbed onto her and held her up.

"Thank goodness," Camille said. "Are you okay, Cerise? Can you remember anything?"

"...Camille?" Cerise said. "I... I remember this pale lady coming up to me, and she was saying really weird stuff, and then she grabbed onto me, I think. I don't remember much else, though. I must've passed out. I had a really weird nightmare! Do you know what happened?"

"No," Camille lied. "I just came here and found you lying on the ground, unconscious. Are you gonna be okay? Do you want me to walk you back to your dorm, or something?"

"I think I'll be okay on my own, but thanks for offering!" Cerise said, smiling. She steadied herself on her feet, and Camille let go of her.

"Well, text me if you need anything, okay?" Camille said.

"Okay!" Cerise said, giving a thumbs up. "See you later!"

Camille watched Cerise walk away. When she was out of sight, Ink, Paint and Chalk flew up to her.

"Now that that's over," Ink began, "Could you take us to somewhere more private? I'm sure we owe you an explanation for everything that's happening."

"Sure, that would be-" Camille stopped as she pulled out her phone and saw what time it was. "Oh, it's only 5! I've got plenty of time. I can stop by the flower shop, go visit Mom, then get back to the house and have dinner with Jessamine and Dad. Great!"

"But wait, what about-" Paint began.

"Finding somewhere private? Oh, we can worry about that later," Camille said. She was already beginning to walk off. The fairies had no choice but to follow her.

"Well, she's easily distracted, isn't she?" Paint said.

"Are we sure she's meant to be my partner, and not Chalk's?" Ink said.

"What? What about me?" Chalk said. "I wasn't paying attention."

Ink rolled his eyes. "Exactly."

* * *

 **EPISODE 2:**  
 _"The hunt is on! Find the next Pretty Cure!"_

* * *

"Hey, Mom!" Camille ran in, a big smile on her face. She was hiding something behind her back. "Sorry, I know it's been a while since I've come to see you. Did you miss me?"

"I brought you something," She revealed what she was hiding: A big bouquet of lovely white lilies. "I know they're your favorite."

"A lot of crazy stuff has been happening today," Camille said. "I've become a legendary artist called a Pretty Cure! I'm Cure Monet. I'm supposed to keep it a secret, but you won't tell anyone, will you?"

The tombstone read _'Nicolette Chevalier, beloved wife and mother'_. Camille gently placed the bouquet down on top of the grave.

"It's really weird," Camille said. "It's been years, but it still hurts to think about you."

"Your mother is dead, Camille?" Ink asked.

"Yeah," Camille said.

"I'm sorry," Ink said.

After a short pause, Chalk chimed in. "How did she die?"

"Chalk, that's inappropriate," Ink scolded.

"No, it's fine, I don't mind answering," Camille said. "It was a car accident. She was driving, and my dad was with her, sitting in the passenger seat. A drunk driver was going the opposite way, and drifted into their lane. By the time my mom saw what was coming, it was too late to get out of the way, but she at least had enough time to swerve to the right. Because of that, she was hit directly and died, while my dad was protected and made it out uninjured. Even in her last moments, she was thinking about my dad, and she protected him, and... And..." Camille was crying now, with tears rolling freely down her face.

"Okay, that's enough," Ink said.

"This must be hard for you to remember," Paint said. "We should get going."

Camille sniffed, and wiped her tears away. "Y-yeah. Sorry."

* * *

The Chevalier house sat at the end of the road. Camille could see her dad's car parked out front, right next to the brightly painted mailbox. The whole family had painted it together when Camille was young. It read 'Chevalier', each letter painted a different color, surrounded by four hand prints. The biggest belonged to her dad, and the second biggest was her mom's. Significantly smaller than those two was the hand print of a 7-year-old Jessamine, and even smaller than that, a tiny green hand print that belonged to a 4-year-old Camille. It was ten years old now, Camille realized. She smiled as she walked past it, holding up her hand and comparing the size of her hand now to the size of her hand print. Then, she turned and walked up the moss-covered stepping stone path to the house she grew up in. She didn't live in it right now, as the Prismaton Academy of Art required all first year students to stay in the dorms, but she was always welcome, and when the school year ended, she would no doubt move back in.

As Camille approached the front door, she paused. "Wait, stop, hold on," She said, "I can't just walk in there holding you three."

"Well, why not?" Ink asked.

"We've been pretending to be stuffed animals for most of the day, and that's been working fine," Paint said.

"You have, and you've been doing a great job at it, too," Camille said.

"To be fair, I think Chalk is just sleeping," Ink said.

Chalk snored in response.

"But that's not the problem," Camille said. "I'm worried about what my older sister, Jessamine, will think. She's really smart, and cool, and mature. If I walk in there carrying around some stuffed animals, she might think I'm childish or immature, and that's the last thing I want."

"Does it really matter that much to you?" Ink asked.

"It does!" Camille said. "Just try to understand. Here, look, you can hide in my school bag until I get to somewhere more private." With one arm still holding onto the fairies, she reached back with her free hand and slipped her bag off. Setting it on the ground in front of her, Camille bent over and opened it up. "Look, I've only got a few books in there. You three should fit inside nicely."

Ink started to poke Chalk. "Wake up! Chalk, how can you be napping when there's so much to be done?"

"Huh? What?" Chalk's eyes opened and he looked around, blinking. "What's going on?"

"Camille wants us to hide in her bag for now," Paint said.

Chalk looked down at the open bag. "As long as I can keep napping."

Camille let go of the fairies, who flew into her bag and settled themselves inside. Once they were in, she closed it and slipped it back on as she stood up. She went to open the front door of the house and found it to be unlocked. She knew it would be, with both her dad and Jessamine home. As Camille stepped into the foyer, she heard a call from the living room just up ahead.

"Camille? Is that you?" It was Jessamine.

"No, I'm a burgler!" Camille jokingly called back.

Jessamine stood up from the couch and walked over to Camille with a big smile on her face. "I'm glad you ended up coming! How was the exhibit?"

Oh, right. Camille had meant to go see the new temporary exhibit at the art gallery earlier. To say she had gotten sidetracked would be an understatement. She quickly thought up an excuse. "It was really busy, so I decided to go another day once all the excitement for it has died down," She lied.

"That's understandable," Jessamine said. "Maybe we can go see it together sometime."

"That could be fun," Camille said. "I visited Mom, by the way. I... I miss her."

Jessamine placed a hand on Camille's shoulder to reassure her. "We all do, Camille. You're not alone."

Camille shook her head. "I shouldn't think about stuff like that. Today's a happy day. So, where's Dad?"

"He's out back," Jessamine said. "Tonight's dinner is burgers on the grill."

"Awesome!" Camille said. She walked over to the sliding glass door that led into the backyard and slid it open, stepping out onto the patio. Standing over the grill was her dad, Georges. "Hey, Dad!"

Georges looked up. "Camille!" He said, grinning. "Jess said you might stop by today. Glad you did!"

"I had time, so I thought, why not?" Camille said as she walked over to him. "How are the burgers going?"

"It'll be a bit before they're ready," Georges said. "I only just put them on the grill. You can wait, right?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Camille said. "I'll wait inside. You can call me when they're ready."

Georges nodded. "I got ya, Cam."

Camille turned around and headed back inside, then started to head for the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Jessamine called to Camille.

"To my room!" Camille called back as she went up the stairs. "Just call me when the food's ready, okay?" As she reached the upper floor, she paused. At the top of the stairs, on the wall, hung a painting. It depicted two young girls sitting on a grassy hill on a sunny day, surrounded by wildflowers. The girls held a few flowers they had picked in their hands, and a few more were woven into flower crowns the girls were wearing on their heads. The artist's signature in the corner read _'Nicolette Chevalier'_. The girls in the painting were Camille and Jessamine. Camille remembered the day it was painted. She was 7 at the time, and Jessamine was 10. It was a warm day in May, and Camille remembers giggling as her mother urged her to stay still as she painted the scene. The painting, simply titled _'Sisters'_ , had been on display in the art gallery for a while, as part of an exhibit on local artists. When she died, the gallery had offered to give it back, as a memento, and...

Camille shook her head and tried to push the sad thoughts out of her mind. Today was a happy day.

* * *

 _Eyecatch 1: Camille, Cerise and Elodie are walking through an art gallery. Camille points to a particular painting, and they all go to take a look. The painting is of the three of them as Cure Monet, Cure Picasso and Cure Warhol, posing together with their fairy partners. The three of them smile at the painting, and the Artistic Pretty Cure logo appears in the corner._

 _Eyecatch 2: Camille is shown painting a picture of Ink while the fairy poses. The scene switches to Cerise sculpting a sculpture of Paint out of clay while the fairy poses. The scene again switches to Elodie carefully framing and then taking a picture of Chalk. Finally, the Artistic Pretty Cure logo appears._

* * *

Camille's bedroom had been mostly untouched since she moved into the academy dorms. At the moment, it was mostly bare bones without any decorations, just furniture. Art prints and posters she had hung on the walls had come with her and were hanging in her dorm room. Her bed was only a bare mattress, as her sheets, blankets and pillows had come with her, as well. Little touches here and there showed that it was still her room. Little paint stains here and there on the floor showed what she usually got up to, especially in the corner by the window, where she liked to work. On the wall by the door, faded marker lines with a number written next to each marked Camille's height over the years as she grew. On her birthday every year, Camille always stood with her back against the wall and insisted that her mom to mark how tall she was.

Camille removed her school bag and sat down on the bare mattress, and opened her bag up. "Now we can talk," Camille said to the fairies inside. "No one will bother us here."

Ink tried to shake Chalk awake. "Come on, it's time to wake up," He said.

"I'm up, I'm up!" Chalk said, slapping Ink's paw away.

"With how many naps Chalk takes, you'd think he'd feel well-rested more often," Paint said, laughing a little.

"So, you were going to explain some stuff to me?" Camille said.

"Yes, of course," Ink said. "What do you want to know first?"

"Well, I guess..." Camille thought about it for a moment. "Where do you three come from, and what's going on there?"

"We come from the Land of Art," Ink explained. "A magical world of creativity, and the birthplace of everyone's Inspiranima."

"Inspiranima?" Camille said. "The source of creativity and inspiration, existing within everyone's hearts. I remember, you told me about that earlier, when Cerise got hers stolen."

Ink continued. "For as long as anyone can remember, the Land of Art has been protected by the legendary artists known as the Pretty Cure. Those with the brightest Inspiranima, who truly love art within their hearts, can connect their heart with a fairy of the Land of Art and become a Pretty Cure."

"And that's what happened to me," Camille said.

"That's right," Ink said. "You're my partner."

Camille nodded. "What else?"

"The Land of Art is... Was protected by a Pretty Cure known as Cure...Cure Renoir," Ink said.

"Ink, I'll tell the story from here, don't worry," Paint said. "Yes, her name was Cure Renoir. Her partner was none other than our princess, Pastel."

"Judging by the use of the word 'was', she's not active anymore," Camille said. "What happened to her?"

"A group known as the Colorless came to the Land of Art," Paint said. "We aren't sure where they came from or what they want, but they have the ability to take someone's Inspiranima from them, and to corrupt it and make it into a monster known as an Achroma. Cure Renoir tried her best to fight them off, but the Colorless outnumbered her. It wasn't long before everyone across the land except for us had their Inspiranima taken from them. Cure Renoir bought the three of us enough time to escape to Earth, but... We saw her fall in battle. Princess Pastel stayed with her until the very end."

Camille sat in silence for a few moments, a horrified look on her face, before speaking up. "Did... Did she die?"

Paint looked down, frowning. "We don't know. Were she and Pastel killed? If they survived, did the Colorless take them captive? Did they find a way to escape? We aren't sure what happened to them or where they are."

Ink was scowling. "Cure Renoir... I will never forgive her!"

Paint looked over at him. "What? What do you mean?"

"It's all her fault," Ink said. "It was her job to protect the Land of Art, and look what happened! She wasn't strong enough. If she were stronger, maybe she could've fought off the Colorless, and maybe Pastel would be here with us today."

"Ink, that's not fair," Paint said. "You saw yourself how many Achromas there were. Not even the strongest Pretty Cure could have faced that many on their own. And Pastel _chose_ to stay with her."

"Come on, Ink," Chalk said. "Give her a break."

"It's just like you to defend someone who doesn't do their job right, Chalk," Ink said. "You were always sleeping on the job."

Paint sighed, and looked up at Camille. "I know he's being ridiculous, but please try not to hold this against Ink," She said. "Ink and Chalk were knights in service to the royal family, and I was Pastel's lady-in-waiting. We all knew the princess personally, and it's hard not to be upset about what's happened to her."

"I guess I understand," Camille said. "Paint, Chalk, I'm guessing you're both looking for your own Pretty Cure partners?"

"Yeah, why?" Chalk said.

"I can help you look for your partners," Camille said. "I go to an art school. I know _tons_ of people who love art and I bet have bright Inspiranima."

"That's a good idea!" Paint said.

"I'm glad you think so!" Camille said. "Right! The hunt for the next Pretty Cure begins..."

Georges' voice rang up from down the stairs. "Camille, dinner's ready!"

"...After dinner!" Camille finished.

"After dinner?" Ink said.

"Sorry, you three, but I'm hungry," Camille said, opening up the door and stepping out into the hall. "Stay here, I'll be back in a bit!"

* * *

Home at last. Camille stepped into her dorm room. She was holding the fairies in her arms once again.

Camille's roommate, Sophie, who was sitting at the desk on her side of the room drawing something, looked up. "You're back a little late," She said. "Where have you been?"

"I went to the art gallery to see the new temporary exhibit, and then I stopped by my house for dinner with my family," Camille explained.

"Oh," Sophie said. "Cute stuffed animals." She went back to her drawing.

"I am not-" Ink began.

Camille quickly put a hand on Ink's mouth to silence him.

Sophie looked up again, an eyebrow raised. "What was that?"

"Uh, these stuffed animals talk when you squeeze them," Camille lied.

"Oh. Cool."

"Mind if I take a look at your drawing?" Camille asked.

"Nah, go ahead," Sophie said, sliding the paper over so Camille could see.

The drawing was a colored pencil work of a young man and a young woman standing on a bridge, holding hands. Despite being presumably romantic, the two of them were looking away from each other and they both had sad looks on their faces, and Sophie was coloring the picture with dull shades of blue and black.

"Looking good," Camille said.

"Thanks," Sophie said. She slid the paper back over and went back to working on it.

Camille frowned as she walked over and sat down on the bed on her side of the room. Almost all of her conversations with Sophie went like that. Simple small talk or asking what art projects the other was working on. For some reason, they just couldn't seem to form a friendship. To Camille's relief, Sophie grabbed her phone and plugged her headphones in. If she was listening to music, Camille could talk to the fairies.

"What do you think of Sophie?" She whispered.

"Her Inspiranima looks bright enough," Ink whispered back.

"How can you tell?" Camille asked. "Can you see it, or something?"

"Yes," Ink replied. "We can look into people's hearts and see their Inspiranima. What do you think, Paint?"

"Being a Pretty Cure is about more than just how bright your Inspiranima shines," Paint said. "Character also plays a role in it. What is she like, Camille?"

"Well, we don't really talk all that much," Camille said. "She's sort of quiet and stoic, I guess? She's nice, but also kind of a mystery. If she has friends, I haven't seen them."

"She _could_ be a Pretty Cure," Paint said.

"Hard to say for sure, really," Chalk added.

"Yes," Paint said. "If only you knew more about her."

"Sorry, I'm just not really friends with her," Camille said.

Sophie looked up then, turned to look at Camille and slipped her headphones off. "Camille, did you say something? It sounded like you were talking to someone."

"It was the stuffed animals!" Camille said. "I squeezed them accidentally. Sorry for bothering you."

Sophie shrugged. "Okay." She slipped her headphones back on and went back to work.

"Sorry, you three," Camille whispered, "But she's all I can really show you right now. It's getting a little late, and I've got a project to work on. I don't have any classes tomorrow, though, so I can spend the whole day looking for potential Pretty Cure."

"Fine," Ink said.

"I'm glad you understand," Camille said. She sat the fairies down on her bed and stood up. "Now, let me think, what was it that I had to do? I know I have some assignment that's due date is coming up, and I really shouldn't leave it for the last minute. I always forget about it when I do that! Did I write it down?" Camille opened up her school bag and retrieved a notebook from it. She paged through it until she found what she was looking for. "There we go! A watercolor piece for Mrs. Beaumont. Due Monday. Let's get started with a sketch." She sat down at her desk, retrieving a pencil and a piece of paper, and got to work.

* * *

Camille awoke with a start the next morning, suddenly jolted awake by a loud ringing. Across the room, Sophie was sitting up in her bed, rubbing her eyes.

"Camille?" Sophie said groggily. "Is that your phone?"

"Yeah," Camille answered. "Sorry, I guess I forgot to put it on silent last night."

Sophie sighed as she flopped back down onto her pillow. "You always do."

Camille smiled sheepishly and reached over to see who was calling. It was Cerise. "What's up?" She said as she answered the call.

"Camille!" Cerise exclaimed on the other end of the phone. "Oh, wow, you sound tired."

"Well, yeah, you just woke me and my roommate up," Camille said. "You know I like to sleep in when I can."

"Sorry, sorry," Cerise said. "I just needed help with something, and I thought you were the best girl for the job!"

"It's okay," Camille said. "Just tell me what you need."

"You know that bet I made with Henri?" Cerise said.

"You were making all those clay pots, right?" Camille said. "How many did you have there, like, twenty?"

"Yeah, well, I'm pulling these out of the kiln right now, and I'm starting to think I might be in over my head," Cerise said.

Camille laughed a little at that. "No kidding!"

"But, I told Henri I was going to make all these pots, so that means I _will_ make all these pots!" Cerise said. "Could you come over here and help me with them? Please? I'll help you with any project you need help with in return!"

"Sure," Camille said. "After all, what are friends for? I'll be over there in a bit, just give me some time to shower and get dressed."

"Oh, thank you _so much_ , Cammy! You're the best!" Cerise squealed. "Meet me in the pottery room, okay?"

"Gotcha," Camille said. "See you there, bye!"

"See you later, alligator!" Cerise said before hanging up.

 _She's definitely passionate, that's for sure,_ Camille thought as she sat up and got out of bed.

* * *

Cerise was already there by the time Camille got to the academy's pottery room. She was seated at one of the tables, quickly painting a clay pot with a dark red-colored glaze. The table's surface was covered in clay pots, nearly all of them unglazed and unfinished, as well as bottles of glaze in a rainbow of colors.

Cerise looked up from the pot she was working on as Camille entered the room. "Camille, you're here!" She said, grinning. "I already got some supplies out for you." Cerise pointed to a stool on the opposite side of the table, where a few paintbrushes and a cup of water waited. "Just sit down, grab a pot and get glazing!"

"Thanks," Camille said as she sat down. "Looking for any particular colors or patterns?"

"Doesn't have to be anything fancy," Cerise said. "They can all one color, for all I care. All that matters is that they're finished!"

"Got it," Camille said. She grabbed a pot nearest to her and a bottle of glaze in an emerald green color, unscrewing its lid. She dipped a paintbrush into the glaze and got started.

Camille and Cerise worked together on the pottery for what should have felt like ages, but working together made it go by much faster. They talked as they worked, sharing gossip and talking about art projects they had been working on. Other students would sometimes come into the pottery room to work on their own projects, and they would always pause, amazed to see how many pots they were trying to get done.

They had only a few pots left to glaze when Cerise set her paintbrush down and stood up. "I'm gonna run to the bathroom real quick! You keep working on these, okay?"

"Gotcha," Camille said with a nod.

Cerise nodded back and walked out of the room. As soon as she was gone, Camille heard a noise coming from her back.

It was Ink's voice. "Hey, open up," He said.

With Cerise gone, Camille was now alone in the room, so she figured it wouldn't be a problem. She set down her paintbrush and reached to open her bag. The fairies were waiting inside. Chalk was napping, as usual. "What's up?"

"Weren't you going to help us look for more Pretty Cure today?" Ink said.

"Oh," Camille said. She _had_ meant to do that. It was the whole reason she had brought the fairies along with her today. "That's right. I completely forgot!"

"It's alright," Paint said. "This Cerise girl you've been spending the day with, the same one who had her Inspiranima stolen yesterday, I'm assuming? What's she like?"

"Well, she's pretty impulsive and scatter-brained," Camille said, "But she's also energetic and outgoing. She's really passionate and determined person. She finishes everything she starts and if she says she's going to do something, you know for sure that she will."

"She sounds wonderful," Paint said. "I had a look at her Inspiranima before she left. It's strikingly bright."

Camille paused. "You're not saying..."

Paint smiled. "I think she could definitely be a Pretty Cure."

* * *

 _ED: World of Color_

* * *

 **ON THE NEXT EPISODE:**

Camille: Could it be? Could Cerise be a Pretty Cure?

Paint: I do think it's possible! She seems to have the right potential for it.

Camille: I'll have to find a way to convince her to become one. Hey, Cerise! What do you think about being a legendary artist?

Cerise: You mean, like, world famous? I'd love it, of course!

Camille: Well, that's not really what I meant... Next time on Artistic Pretty Cure: **My friend, a Pretty Cure? Here comes Cure Picasso!** Let's all get creative!


End file.
